Process of making candles by sequentially casting different wax layers

ABSTRACT

A process for manufacturing frusto-conical candle sticks that comprises generally the steps of pouring a material into a plurality of molds crossed by taper punchers, lowering the taper punchers, inserting wicks and corresponding wick holders, raising a plate that includes the candle molds and removing the finished product. The process includes plural casting steps using different waxes and perforating a first wax shell layer to form a hole into which a wick is inserted.

1973 LUIS A. RODRIGUEZ PERERA 3,773,331

PROCESS OF MAKING CANDLES BY SEQUENTIALLY CASTING DIFFERENT WAX LAYERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 14, 1971 1973 LUIS A. RODRIGUEZ PERERA 3, ,8

PROCESS OF MAKING CANDLES BY SEQUENTIALLY CASTING DIFFERENT WAX LAYERS Filed June 14, 1971 6 Sheets-Sheet 2,

FIG. 2

20, 1973 1. s A. RODRIGUEZ PERERA 3,773,881

PROCES F MAKING CANDLES BY SEQUENTIALLY CASTING DIFFERENT WAX LAYERS Filed June 14, 1971 6 Sheets-Shoat 6) (YE 9 2) (a @PG) E6) as (9 zo @1 6) is CI==I1E 9 9 9% (9% 9 (9% @aa @5 2 (9 (9& D m E Q r (9 (9 9 6) FIG.. 3

1973 LUIS A. RODRIGUEZ PERERA 73,8

PROCESS OF MAKING CANDLES BY SEQUENTIALLY CASTING DIFFERENT WAX LAYERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 14, 1971 1973 LUIS A. RODRIGUEZ PERERA 3,77 ,3

PROCESS OF MAKING CANDLES BY SEQUENTIALLY CASTING DIFFERENT WAX LAYERS Filed June 14, 1971 6 Sheets-Shoot 5 1973 LUIS A. RODRIGUEZ PERERA 3,

PROCESS OF MAKING CANDLES BY SEQUENTIALLY CASTING DIFFERENT WAX LAYERS Filed June 14, 1971 6 Sheets-Shea t 6 United States Patent 3,773,881 PROCESS OF MAKING CANDLES BY SEQUEN- TIALLY CASTING DIFFERENT WAX LAYERS Luis A. Rodriguez Perera, Calle 60, N o. 293, Col Alcala Martin, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico Filed June 14, 1971, Ser. No. 152,781 Claims priority, application Mexico, June 12, 1970, 120,019; Oct. 7, 1970, 122,563 Int. Cl. B29c 5/08; C11c 5/02 US. Cl. 264-155 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates in general to frusto-conical candlesticks such as for the votive lights and to processes and machines used in the manufacture thereof, and more particularly to improvements in processes and machines to manufacture such candlesticks or candles.

BACKGROUND Heretofore, candles have been composed of one paraffin or a similar material of a single quality and processes and machines used to manufacture them have remained unchanged for many years.

It has now been discovered that it is possible to produce candlesticks comprising a core of a certain material covered with a shell of one or several layers of a material of different quality and that this can be used to increase the strength of the final product. This permits also producing candles of a better appearance and also reduces the deformation that said candles may suffer prior to use.

The aforesaid requires changing completely the processes used until the present the known processes comprising the use of a stationary molding machine having a fixed platform or portion supported by a frame, with a plurality of cylindrical projections over the upper face of the same constituting molding pistons that form the upper portion of the resulting product. These projections or pistons include central holes through which a plurality of tapered rods slide, said rods moving towards said fixed platform forming the holes of the candles into which the corresponding wick is later inserted. In the upper portion of the fixed platform, also movable, there is a box which supports the molds for the candles such that frusto-conical holes are arranged side by side. Said holes form the body of the candle or votive light and match at their bottoms with said pistons. All this is supported as a whole by said frame and both displacements of the tapered rods or taper punchers and of the frusto-conical holes providing box are obtained by means of rack and helicoidal studs driven by cranks and levers.

The most general processes used until today have comprised the steps of pouring the paraifin when the taper punchers and the frusto-conical holes providing box are in position coupled to a fixed-pistons platform. Then the taper punchers are moved downwards, the upper surface of the frusto-conical box is cleaned or scraped to remove the excess material, the wicks are manually inserted with their corresponding wick holder and the frusto conical box is raised leaving the candles on the upper portion of 3,773,881 Patented Nov. 20, 1973 ice the pistons thereby permitting the removal of the final product.

Said steps may vary in their sequence. However, it is important to point out that the machines heretofore used were static and that the frusto conical candlesticks obtained are of one material having a single quality.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a new process and a new machine that permits obtaining a frustoconical candle stick comprising a core of one material covered by one or several layers of a different quality material.

The improved process for manufacturing said candles including materials of different qualities comprises the steps of a first pouring of parafiin or similar material of one quality into the molds, rotating the molds to pour off all the paraflin that has not adhered to the same, returning said molds to their original positions and scraping or cleaning from the upper surface of the molds providing box all the paraffin that adhered when the molds were rotated. Then taper punchers are raised to form the perforations which will house the wicks of the candles and a second pouring of paraffin or similar material of different quality than the one first poured then fills completely the molds already covered along their walls with the layers formed by the first pouring. The above is followed by a lowering of the taper punchers, scraping or cleaning again the upper surface of the box for eliminating residual materials, cutting down slightly the bottom of the said candle thereby eliminating a portion of material, inserting wicks with the corresponding wick holders, making a third pouring with paraffin or similar material of the same quality as that of the first pouring thereby concealing the wick holders and increasing the strength of the candles, scraping once more the surplus paraflin, and raising the frusto-conical box for the removal of the final product.

To carry out the above mentioned process, there is required the use of a new or improved machine which is another of the objects of this invention. Said machine comprises a supporting structure formed with two vertical frames joined at their upper ends with a horizontal platform that includes a plurality of cylindric projections or pistons that will mold the upper portions of said candles, said pistons having central holes. The machine also includes a lower plate parallel to said platform that has fixedly attached a plurality of vertical rods upwardly tapered called taper punchers, matching with the holes of said pistons and which, by means of levers, slide through the holes. There is also included an upper box comprising upper, lower and side walls, with a plurality of frusto-conical holes whose lower orifices match with said pistons and which travel upwardly by means of helicoidal studs and racks, which are operated by side cranks. The machine is characterized in that the fixed portion of the machine and pistons platform include projections supported on appropriate bearings that allow free rotation of that part of the machine supported by static frames that keep at a certain level above the floor said first mentioned frames, said second supporting frame including afstop in one of its sides that prevents the rotation of the movable frames in one direction and at the other side including a movable stopping rod that allows retaining the molds during certain steps of the process thereby keeping them in a fixed position and in that the upper box that contains the frusto-conical holes includes a hopper attached to one of its side ends, for removing the paraflin or similar material during certain steps of the process.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical elevation view of the improved machine for manufacturing frusto-conical candlesticks of the present invention, showing a taper punchers plate and a frusto-conical holes providing box in farthest position from a central platform;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view that illustrates the improved machine of the present invention corresponding to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the improved machine for manufacturing frusto-conical candlesticks of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 with the taper punchers plate and the frusto-conical holes box in closest position with respect to the central pistons plate;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the improved machine for manufacturing candles of the present invention, with the movable portion of the same partially rotated through approximately 90;

FIG. 6 is a vertical elevation view ofthe frusto-conical candlestick that results from the machine and process of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view illustrating the shell or cover of the final product into which a core of different quality is poured; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are cross sectional views of two different embodiments of the resulting product of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION With the purpose of carrying out the improved process of the present invention for manufacturing frusto-conical candlesticks, there is used a machine 11 that comprises a supporting structure 12, generally shaped as an inverted V having at its vertex a roller bearing 13, that allows free rotation of the main portion of the machine, that consists of structures or legs 14 solidly attached to a substantially rectangular plate 15. Plate 15 includes on its upper face a plurality of cylindrical projections or pistons 16 that form the upper portion of the improved candle-- stick of this invention. Said pistons or cylindrical projections 16 include in their central portion a hole 17, through which taper punchers or tapered rods 18 slide. Said rods are fixed in vertical position atop a movable platform 19 moving toward and away from the pistons plate 15, and are arranged in such a manner that match respectively with the hole in the pistons plate. Said platform 19, that includes the taper punchers, moves under the action of a toggled lever 20.

When the taper punchers 18 are in their furthest position from the pistons platform 15 (FIG. 1) the points of the same are positioned near the holes 17 of the pistons. A box 22 that includes frusto-conical. holes 24 and moves upwardly from said pistons platform 15, under the action of a helicoidal stud 21 and a crank 23, can be placed in direct contact with said pistons platform 15 (FIG. 4). Said frusto-conical holes providing box 22 is a substantially rectangular box. It includes a plurality of frusto-conical holes 24 that cross the box from top to bottom having their wider, lower orifices matching with the projections or pistons 16, forming in this manner the molds for the complete bodies of frusto-conical candlesticks. In this position, a first pouring is made with a paraflin of a certain quality, with which the outer portion or shell of the improved candle will be formed. Then the movable stops 25 that keep the main portion of the machine fixedby holding legs 14 against fixed stops 28 are disengaged and, being so freed, this portion is rotated approximately 180 to remove whatever parafiin or similar material that does not adhere to the walls of the frusto-conical holes 24. Said material is collected in a hopper 26, attached solidly to one of the side edges of the upper face of the frusto-conical holes providing box 22. Then, after said material is withdrawn fromthe machine, the upper surface of said box is scraped.

Thereafter, the main portion of the machine is returned to its horizontal position, and is clamped by the stops 28 and movable lever 25, some of said wax is caused to solidify and adhere to the walls of the mold cavities to form a shell layer thereon and next a second pouring is made with a material of different quality, generally poorer than that of the first pouring. Before said second pouring, a lever 20 is actuated raising the platform 19 which carried the taper punchers to its highest position to form the holes in which the corresponding wicks of the candles are inserted. After the second pouring has filled the molds completely, the taper punchers 18 are lowered and a second cleaning or scraping of the upper surface 27 of the box 22 is carried out.

The upper portion of the paraffin in each mold is slightly cut down. Said upper portion corresponds to the lower portion of the finished candlestick. The corresponding wicks and wick holders are inserted and a third pouring is effected with a parafiin or material of a quality similar to that of the first pouring. This conceals the wick holder and completes a shell or outer wall for each candle and increases the strength of thesame. Then, by means of the corresponding helicoidal studs 21, the molds providing box 22 is raised to permit the removal of the finished product. A cooling water pipe 29 is included, communicating with the molds providing box 22 to cool the molds and permitting the forming of the outer shell referred to above.

After each ofthe pouring steps, the wax is caused to solidify.

In FIGS. 6 to 9 is shown the resulting product of this invention that comprises an outer shell 30, covering an inside core 31 of a material of different quality than shell 30. Said product includes a wick 32 passing through a central orifice and including a wick holder 33.

Even though the preceding description refers to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that changes in form and detail must be considered within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as stated in the following claim.

I claim:

1. A process for manufacturing frusto-conical candlesticks comprising providing a succession of frusto-conical mold cavities in a tiltable mold box having upper and lower horizontal surfaces, positioning a support beneath the mold box with pistons facing the bottom of respective mold cavities, said pistons being formed with axial bores in which vertical taper punches are slidably supported, providing relative vertical movement between the piston support and mold box so that the pistons close the bottom of the mold cavities, retracting the vertical taper punches in the pistons, pouring a first candle material of a predetermined quality into the mold cavities, causing some of said wax to solidify and form a shell layer on the walls of each of said cavities, pouring 01f material not adhering to the walls of the mold by tilting the mold box and said support together while maintaining the pistons at the bottom of the cavities to form in each cavity an outer shell with an open top and a closed bottom, the lower surfaces of the latter being shaped by the associated piston and eventually forming the top of the candle,

.- scraping the upper surface of the mold box, raising the taper punches to uppermost position to cause the taper punches to perforate the bottoms of the shells in the molds and to extend through the molds to the tops thereof, pouring a second candle material of a different quality than the first into the mold cavities with the mold bo-x horizontal to fill said shells substantially completely, retracting the taper punches to leave a bore extending completely through the now formed composite body, removing some of the second material from the upper ends of the molds which corresponds to the lower ends of the finished candles, inserting wicks into the bores of the composite bodies and securing the wicks to the composite bodies at the upper ends of the molds with wick holders, effecting a third pouring of the same material as said first material into the molds to cover the wick holders and also the second material, raising the mold box from said support, and removing the thus molded bodies as candles from said cavities, the wax being solidified after 10 each of the second and third pouring steps.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,468,539 4/1949 Berger 425803 1,896,123 2/1933 Schweitzer 264302 X 1,786,630 12/1930 Sgritta 425803 X ROBERT F. WHITE, Primary Examiner W. E. HOAG, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

